Friday, November 17, 2006

11/18/2006 UPDATE: In AB 1237 a tasor used by law enforcemen can emit an electronic, Magnetic, or orth projectile. A "magetic projectile could damage electronic media, such as magnetic disks, data stored on cameras, recorders. It could essentially erase data, or perhaps evidence of the incident. It could also damage unreplacable property in addition to causing physical injury and possible death. It could also cause fires. A Taser Instructer Training video asks the volunteer that is being tased if they have any leg or knee conditions before tasing them in the leg. This is indicative that the tasing can cause harm and/or can inflict injury to parts of the body that are injured or that have been injured in the past.You may have seen reports and video clips of a person being tazed by the UCLA police (see video of incident followed by a news report video below).

11/17/2006 UPDATE: According to the UCLA website, the UCLA Powell library clossed no later than midnight. That means that the whole library would be shut down in less than an hour from the incident. What is puzzling is why UCLA would create a policy of allowing the public to access the library up through 11pm and not just let them have access up through closing.

And UCLA police are not alone in these apparent violations of civil rights. The Santa Monica College Police have been caught on camera a few times allegedly violating civil rights of persons on the Santa Monica College Campus (see video below).

Although these situations do not directly involved bicycling issues, they do present a question of if civil rights can be violated by these law enforcement agencies, they could as easily direct the violation against those riding bicycles on the campuses.

And has been reported before, Santa Monica College is impounding bicycles locked to poles on the parking lots, even when locked in a fashion that they are out of the way. A further report on the impounding of bicycles at Santa Monica College by the Santa Monica College police will be posted in the near future. And if you have any information on this or any other stories about UCLA and bicycles, please send them in to Cycle Santa Monica! Thank you.

However, I think the original framers of the constitution would believe that recording in public or public events, or with the permission of the person being recorded would fall under protection of the constutution "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press".

What mucks of the situation is that is videotaping in an open space at a publicly owned institution would by virtue of it being publicly owned property, be, by its nature automatically permitted. As much permitted as travelling along a right of way owned by the public, like our streets and roads, parks, plaza's, etc.

However, I think the original framers of the constitution would believe that recording in public or public events, or with the permission of the person being recorded would fall under protection of the constutution "freedom of speech" and "freedom of the press".

What mucks of the situation is that is videotaping in an open space at a publicly owned institution would by virtue of it being publicly owned property, be, by its nature automatically permitted. As much permitted as travelling along a right of way owned by the public, like our streets and roads, parks, plaza's, etc.

He was asked to leave the library. He did not. He was ordered to stand serveral times. Again he did NOT. At what point to you let some thick headed idiot controll the situation. When a cop says stand - you better stand.

anonymous and anonymous, you are a bunch of tools, subservient fools who wouldn't know your rights if it hit you in the face.

it doesn't matter if he was "TOLD" to leave or "TOLD" to stand up. He wasn't commiting any form of crime what would warrant 10,000 volts of electricity to be zapped through your body. Violent force for non-violent crimes is unjust and what is known as cruel, and the individual didn't break any laws or rules. He WAS a student, so he was allowed to be at the Library at that time. Since when do you have to have "papers" at all times to prove your being. Last time I checked the Iron Curtain went down years ago. Or did they come back up around US.

I think what the post is addressing is two issues that are kind of related.

There is one incident of the UCLA police tazoring a non-violent student in a library. And the other incident is the Santa Monica College Police threatening to arrest people excersiing their civil rights.

The UCLA police incident is in the upper two videos. The Santa Monica College police incident is documented in the last bottom two videos.

"The safety of our campus community is of paramount importance to me. Routinely checking student identification after 11 p.m. at the campus library, which is open 24 hours, is a policy posted in the library that was enacted for the protection of our students. Compliance is critical for the safety and well-being of everyone."

However, the UCLA website says that the library closes at midnight or earlier. No where on the website does it indicate that the library is open 24 hour.

If you womeone has on online source indicating the library is open 24, please post the web address. Thank

In the united states we have seperation of powers. Additionally, judges decide on punishments. That is our system.

And besides that, law makers decide on what punishments will be for violations of laws. And i have found no law in acted by any law makers in the united states that mandate 25 seconds of shocking with a human cattle prod.

Again it is Judges that decide on what punishments will be. the police's power is only law enforcement. And they had the power to remove him from the building without having to cattle prod. Case closed. Police abused their power.

The police clearly DID overstep their authority. The taser devices are intended to be used to assist officers in situations where someones safety might be in danger. There was no threat of "danger" in this situation (as the student was already hand cuffed). The officers should have simply removed the student and jailed him. The judge would have fined the young man and all would be well. The officers absolutely abused their authority and it was the OFFICERS that caused the disturbance in the library. It was the OFFICERS that incited the other students at the library.

Try and understand this for a second Anonymous At 5:30AM... If I was the kid and you kicked my ass, you would be in jail just like those Campus Police may end up being!

First of all it doesn't appear that anyone of us knows exactly what happened because none of us were there. It looked pretty bad on the video and as a result there will be more investigations into the occurrence, but there is no sense making comments and opinions about something that is so unclear at the moment.

Honestly though... with people posting comments like these, now I am beginning to understand a little better why our country is taking a turn for the worse. I hope we survive the coming years without losing all of our rights entirely (unless they are already gone?).

The reason we have "problems" with kids is because of the lack of disipline. Either we take care of our childerns attitudes as kids or they wind up in front of a judge later. Tazer the SOB one more time just for being that stupid!!

It is very informative on how to assert your rights in a polite lawful manner. It also provides information on what do do if you are a victim of "police misconduct". That is handy infroamtion. I wonder what the process is for reporting "police misconduct" of UCLA police officers. Anyone know?